The Orion II, earlier called Clelia II, is a luxury expedition cruise ship. It was originally launched as the Renaissance Four in 1990 by Renaissance Cruises, an operator of cruise ships in Europe. The ship was renamed Clelia II following a refurbishment in 2009.
Travel Dynamics International (TDI), a leading US expedition cruise company, operated the vessel until April 2011. In November 2009, the Australian expedition cruise company Orion Expedition Cruises announced the acquisition of the ship in order to increase its fleet size. The ship was delivered to Orion in April 2011. The ship was renamed the Orion II in June 2011.
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Orion II is a sister ship of Island Sky
Construction
The Renaissance Four was built in the Cantiere Navale Ferrari-Signani shipyard in La Spezia, Italy. In 2009, the ship was re-launched as Clelia II after a $19.2m refurbishment.
Almaco was awarded a contract to upgrade the ship in February 2011. The refurbishment works were carried out in California. The upgrade included soft-furnishings in all 50 passenger suites and bathrooms, the lobby, main lounge, dining room, library, and public bathrooms. The ship was re-launched after the refurbishment works as Orion II, which made its maiden voyage in June 2011.
Design
The ship has a gross weight of 4,077t, is 290ft long, 50ft wide and has a draft of 12ft. The ship has a crew of 65.
The vessel meets all international and US Coast Guard safety regulations and is equipped with the latest navigational and communications technologies, retractable fin stabilizers, an ice-strengthened hull and a fleet of Zodiacs.
Accommodation and facilities
The Orion II can accommodate 100 guests in 50 suites. It has five decks: Athena; Ariadne; Leto; Cleo; and Phoebe. Suites range from 215 to 285ft².
All rooms include a separate living area, large closets, two queen-size beds and air conditioning. Each suite has a satellite television, a DVD/CD player, a telephone and a mini-refrigerator.
The Athena deck has a medical area, a restaurant and deluxe suites of 225ft².
The reception area is on the Ariadne deck, which has a library with internet access, a function hall and deluxe rooms with windows and sitting areas.
The Leto deck has a gym and the Nautilus club, and houses deluxe suites of 235ft².
The Phoebe deck houses 260ft² penthouse suites, which have a private balcony, window and Jacuzzi.
The ship also has two lounges with audiovisual facilities, a beauty salon, two sun decks and a swimming pool platform.
The refurbished Orion II has a ship’s store and massage/spa/salon. It has sufficient space on the deck for relaxing and sunbathing.
Propulsion
The ship is propelled by twin MAN B&W diesel engines with duel fuel capability. Light fuels can be used whenever needed. The ship also has bow thrusters and fin stabilisers to increase manoeuvrability and stability. The propulsion system provides a cruising speed of 13.5kt.
